I need to get a gimbal head to hold a D750 and Tamron 150-600mm lens, and as always I'm trying to keep the cost reasonable.  I know!  Everybody is going to enthusiastically cry Wimberley, Induro, RRS!, etc.  But I'm wondering if anyone has experience with , say, gimbal heads in the $200 range.Photography is a hobby for me, not my profession, so I don't won't be putting the thing through grueling, everyday heavy use.  Onion other hand, I obviously don't want some cheap crap that is going to fracture and send my let's take pictures gear to an unplanned journey to the ground.I was considering a Manfrotto 393, but I can see I wouldn't like reaching around it as there is no open side.Anyway, anyone have experience with more reasonably priced gimbal heads than Wimberley etc.?

After I'd put my first gimbal head in storage (after I sold my first 200-400 f4 lens), and then couldn't find it when I bought another large lens, I tried buying two cheap gimbal heads from Amazon - and they were absolute garbage. Be careful of the $70 ones you can get there. They absolutely wouldn't move fluidly. They were total junk.The ones I love are made by Jobu Designs. I've got two of theirs, and the greatest is this:https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&O=&Q=&gclid=CjwKCAjwxZnYBRAVEiwANMTRX3UBoLKvRYJYIFFlx9aaHA-VVyzCGYT5i0aYMCicEDKWndhNQ3JQYhoCqcwQAvD_BwE&is=REG&pcur=CAD&sku=905990It's close to half the weight of many other heavy gimbals, but it's super quality and large enough for your lens.Sorry this gimbal is over $200, but it is excellent value for the buck, and so close to Wimberley quality, at 1/4 that price.

I have just bought the Bembo GH2. Seems well made and works ok although I haven't been out much with it yet.NPhoto magazine did a review of gimbals in the last issue. Wimberley came out top and the Bembo 2nd as a good build and value for money.

This topic is regularly discussed over in the Accessories Forum.  Here are a couple of recent threads to start you off...https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4277568https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4246744

If you need to support several $1000 of gear on a tripod or other device, a cheap gimbal is a really crazy notion. Have to honest on this!I also have the Jobu HM-J3D but using the wider (44mm) Sirui VH90 platform & plate. The Jobu is remarkably light but can handle a 400 prime or heavy zoom tele. I built theSirui VH90into the Gimbal because of its quick release safety lock - anti-slip is CRUCIAL. Vital for telephoto rigs. Together with the locking pin in the platform base, this video plate has an adjustable locking arm that's quick but solid. The Sirui heads have spring-loaded safety locking pins that are essential to stop a rig sliding out if the grip loosens. It works.I also use theSirui VH-10video fluid head on my Gitzo 5543LS. Extremely stableA strategy with selecting tripods and heads is to list the very best, then select the solution that's the closest in quality one can afford. IMHO it's Gitzo for tripods, unless one goes to heavier tripods used to shoot videos etc in pro production studios. For Gimbals, there is Wimberly but the ultimate combining solid support and ergonomics seems to be theZenelli ZX Carbonfibre. Sure it's a whopper of a price but logical choice for pro wildlife.I am planning to modify my Jobu by adding a quick release switch to lock the drop arm (when carrying the rig), like the Zenelli.Also check out thisrecent thread

First (and foremost) I have to agree with chambeshi - don't save too much money on the device you want to safely hold your precious gear.Second, I've been using the Manfrotto 393 for years, and I find it moves very nicely, offers me no problems with my hold positions for focusing (use it with a 300/4 plus TCs for wildlife and auto racing). However, a zoom ring might present some awkwardness - if you seriously considering a 393, you should be sure you can return it promptly if you find operational problems with your lens/body combination.The other important characteristic of the 393 is its weight - it's heavy. I'm partially disabled and can't hike much, so carrying the weight isn't a meaningful issue for me. But your situation can be quite different from mine. Your best bet would be if there's a store near enough to you that carries the 393. In that case, I recommend taking your camera+lens to the store and trying it out - see for yourself if you have satisfactory access to both zoom and focus rings, and to judge the importance of the weight for yourself. If you don't have such store near enough, please refer back to the return policy idea.

Thanks for the replies folks.Now I'm considering the Promaster GH25, recommended by Tamron for the 150-600. I guess it's new and there are basically no reviews on it yet.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwO2Icu7BnkA bit over $200, but less than $300.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0071BIQZC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1Seems to work very well for me. Only $80 USD. Had it for 6 years and it works smoothly and quietly without fail. Makes a big difference when I am in one spot, with a variety of birds flying around. Much easier to use this combo than to hand hold for hours a gripped D500 and Tamron 150-600 G2.

Sorry, AWG, but that one is the type of poor gimbal that I mentioned people should be very wary of on Amazon. You probably got lucky, but for anybody else who is considering that model, PLEASE read the negative reviews for that gimbal. You will see that a significant number of people find that gimbal to be unusable.The two I bought on Amazon that were terrible were: Andoer BK-45 Professional Gimbal Tripod Head for Camera, and Fomito Panoramic Gimbal Clamp Tripod Ball Head ST-360 QR System.The Fomito is actually so bad that they DROPPED the price about 30% from when I bought it.I think the Fomito is the one that wouldn't even move on one of the points of rotation, and the Andoer moved so poorly at the pivot points that I completely gave up on it.Now ... - if you've never used a DECENT gimbal, and you're only using a 'relatively' lightweight lens like a Sigma 150-600, you might not realize what you are missing when you use one of these 'discount' gimbals. But after you've used a decent quality gimbal like the Jobu Design gimbals that I DO recommend, you won't put up with a cheap Chinese knock-off. (Jobu is made in Canada - actually within 5 miles of my home - but I have no association with them - other than buying two of their gimbals, and one of their Scorpion Groundpods, and I've recently ordered one of their newer groundpod camera supports:http://www.jobu-design.com/Remote-Shooting-Platform_p_136.html

Sometimes you just need to look for a deal. I bought the Induro GHB2 that was reg $488 for 1/2 price... $244 USD. I also was not going to spend $500 for that.To be honest, I have NEVER used it. It is still brand new in the box.  I have been hand holding the lens and I think I did put it on a tripod once and that was with my reg. head.

I don't see any lens in your current or former gear that needs a tripod, let alone a gimbal.  (I LOVED the tiny weight and so thin width of my 70-200 f4 - but I haven't used it since getting the newest 70-200 2.8 - although I almost took that lens out when I discovered that my D5 or any camera with a grip won't fit with my 2.8 lens in my large camera 'fanny pack' that I used to use - years ago.)Now - of course - if you're shooting time lapse, or really slow shutter speeds or lightning or fireworks or for some other reason need a tripod, that's different, but if you start using a 200-400 f4 or one of the big telephotos - then a gimbal is a real joy.  I just love that I can let go of my camera on a gimbal - and the lens/camera self-balance.  It makes taking occasional shots really easy and simple.   The problem with most ball heads with a big heavy lens is that the darn thing flops over if you let go of it.  With a gimbal head the 10 lb lens and camera just sit there swing back and forth like a swingset if you let them go (and have the arms loose).I'm SO glad I discovered gimbals.  Years ago, before I ever owned (or even wanted) a tripod, I once took 18,000 photos in one day using a 200-400 f4 lens on my D3 - and that camera and lens are 10 lbs, and that lens has the weight situated way out at the front - so for a week after taking all those photos - I couldn't LIFT my left arm.

Mr. Michael - PM me if you would be interested in selling the GHB2.

Sometimes it is better to be lucky than smart. I have been very pleased with my copy. 6 years is a lot of use. Sorry to hear some people have bad luck  with these.

This GH will do you just fine for the gear you've mentioned.https://www.amazon.com/Movo-GH800-Professional-Arca-Swiss-Quick-Release/dp/B016V1AVV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527281407&sr=8-1&keywords=movo+gh800&dpID=41qv%252BxRwJKL&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Yes, that gimbal will work, but despite the fact that it is carbon fibre, it is TWICE the weight of this Jobu gimbal that will handle every lens except the 800mm:https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/905990-REG/Jobu_Design_bwg_j3kdlx_Jobu_Jr_3_Deluxe.html?sts=piThis Jobu gimbal weighs only 1.5 lbs!!!And I don't know about you - but EVERY pound I have to drag out with me when taking photos feels like 100 lbs by the end of the day.